Million Naira Scandal Exposed: How Governor Yuguda Is Siphoning State Funds Using Community Radio Stations Project
A group known as Bauchi Awareness and Anti-Graft Coalition has lampooned Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State for what they called brazen corruption being perpetrated by the governor through the award of contracts for the setting up of community Radio Stations. In an open letter titled; Governor Isa Yuguda’s Broadcasting Fraudsigned by Muazzu Alhaji Yuguda on behalf of the group said that the recent boasting of the governor of building about ten community stations are shrouded in fraud and scandals.
According to the Group in its letter it said; “When Governor Isa Yuguda hosted the congress of the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria, this week in Yankari, Bauchi State, he boasted to the gathered leaders of the broadcast industry in Nigeria, that he had one of the most impressive broadcasting organs in Nigeria. He reeled out the fact that he had open ten community stations in Gumau, Kirfi, Kafin-Madaki, Jama’re, Zaki, Tafawa-Balewa, Yalwan-Duguri, Ningi, Misau and Gamawa. Naturally the assembled delegates clapped and our dear governor lapped up the applause, as the event was also broadcast live on Bauchi media outlets.”
The group went on their letter to say that; “What the delegates gathered from all over Nigeria didn’t know, are the dirty details behind the claims they applauded. When biddings to construct the stations first surfaced, reputable broadcast procurement companies, with track records of delivery of broadcast stations around the country, turned in proposals. It was noteworthy that one of these companies, with a track record, for example quoted about N30MIllion per station, and that would have brought the total to about N300Million. He rejected the bid but instead awarded the contract to an obscure company with no track record anywhere in nigeria of having successfully completed a single broadcast procurement/installation. Vide Contract No: BA/CAB/SEC/CONT/2008/618 of 2/3/2009, this company was awarded the contract in the sum of N587, 400, 000.00.”
The report also stated that; “however, vide a letter from the Ideal Communications Limited, they sought for a variation in contract sum and accordingly, Governor Isa Yuguda cancelled the original award, and then approved a re-award in the sum of N799,200,000.00. (Attached extract from Government papers explain everything in detail). There are questions that are pertinent about these community radio stations that Governor Isa Yuguda might be willing to provide answers to: Who owns Ideal Communications Limited? Could it be true, as is being speculated in Bauchi that it is a front for one of his sons? Why award such a huge contract to a company without any record of delivery? What justified the variations approved when we know that these community stations could have been delivered for Less Than Half of what they eventually cost? Governor Isa Yuguda must explain why the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has not issued frequencies for her stations that from the perspective of the broadcast regulatory authority are illegal stations?”
The group further stated that; “These community stations contracts shenanigans are merely the tip of the iceberg of the corruption in the past six years under Governor Isa Yuguda in Bauchi.”
